Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 12:14:03 -0400 (EDT)
From: Christopher A Triebel <ctriebel AT kepler DOT unh DOT edu>
To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Subject: Re: Paths and .COM files
In-Reply-To: <Pine.OSF.3.91.960410013840.13528A-100000@bud.cc.swin.edu.au>
Message-Id: <Pine.ULT.3.91a.960410120353.29236A-100000-100000-100000@kepler.unh.edu>
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On Wed, 10 Apr 1996, Daniel Josef Dekok wrote:

> On 9 Apr 1996, Paul Derbyshire wrote:
> 
> > 
> > 
> > This may be slowly heading off topic, but I'm curious: what IS the
> > difference between a .COM and a .EXE, aside from the MZ ZM thing and the
> > file extension?
> > Is there a difference in the code, in its functioning, in how DOS
> > allocates it memory?
> 
> Im pretty sure Com files don't have a stack, whereas EXE's can
> and also something about some 64k limit in a com file

If I am not mistaken, and I dont think that I am, exceptions welcome.  
Com files do have a stack ... but it is upto the .com program to set it 
up whereas the .exe programs can allocate a stack at compile time and 
have it all set up for them when they are run.  Com progs are designed to 
run in under 64K, a programmer can get around this in MS DOS which 
allocates ALL available memory to the program.  Hence you can get all of 
memory but design your program around the 64K limit ( seems wierd to me 
), but easy for the one shot programs.

All information above is to the best of my knowledge, and expansion or 
correction is welcome for my own knowledge.
	
Chris